State Rep, Joe Salazar posted a picture of a meeting Thursday night and his thoughts on a proposed ballot initiative to change how Colorado maps its congressional districts.

A group of Democrats and Republicans interested in changing how Colorado maps its congressional districts are working out the details of a proposed ballot initiative, but outside groups are angered that they’re not part of the process, and they suspect bad motives.

A meeting convened Thursday by Democratic state Sen. Jessie Ulibarri and Reps. Joe Salazar and Angela Williams raised opposition to using a bipartisan, independent commission to draw the maps, instead of the current system. (Every 10 years the legislature changes the boundaries based on the latest census, a process that tends to break down into partisan squabbles eventually settled by the courts.)

Suspicions about motives to change the system have been deep since it was announced last month. A compromise last week to keep existing language on how the courts should draw up boundaries to protect minority voters has done little to appease those who say their input has not been welcomed.

Colorado state Rep. Angela Williams, a Denver Democrat, has been named legislator of the year by a Black Caucus for state legislators in the West. (Denver Post file photo)

State Rep. Angela Williams received some glowing reviews in Los Angeles last weekend. The Democratic lawmaker from Denver was named the National Black Caucus of State Legislators Region XII Legislator of the Year.

NBCSL’s Region XII is made up of Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Montana, Nevada, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah and Washington. Williams received the award Saturday at the National Black Caucus of State Legislators conference.

“Rep. Angela Williams represents the kind of leadership that makes NBCSL proud,” the organization’s president, Catherine Pugh, a senator from Maryland, said in a statement. “Her legislation focused on improving police and community relations in her state and will be emulated across the country. It has earned her the regional legislator of the year by NCBSL.”

The organization also cited Williams’ work on minority issues, including her leadership on creating and passing a package of police-reform bills in the last session. The NBCSL also recognized “her efforts in promoting equality for minority owned businesses,” a press release said.

Colorado House Democratic leader Crisanta Duran posted a picture of her invitation to an audience with the Pope on her Facebook page.

When history was made as the Pope went to Washington this week, a handful Colorado leaders say it was an event they will never forget. Among the Colorada legislators in the presence of His Holiness were House Democratic leader Crisanta Duran, House Speaker Pro Tempore Dan Pabon and Democratic Caucus Chair Angela Williams.

“In June, I had the great opportunity to travel with the State Department to Argentina where I learned about Pope Francis’ background and his impressive efforts to give a voice to the voiceless,” Duran said via text. “When the White House called to invite me to attend this week’s event, I jumped at the opportunity to see the first Pope from the Americas and welcome him to the United States.

The Women’s Lobby of Colorado handed out scores to lawmakers based on their performance in the statehouse during the last legislative session. (Photo by Joey Bunch/The Denver Post)

Left-leaning is an understatement for the legislative scorecard released Wednesday evening by the Women’s Lobby of Colorado. Every Democrat except one among the 17 in the Senate got a perfect 100 percent for their voting records on a list of bills chosen by the organization.

Only two of the 34 Democrats in the House missed a perfect score, and those two, Tracy Kraft-Tharp of Arvada and Angela Williams of Denver, scored 91. They lost points for voting against a Democrat-backed bill to create a family and medical leave insurance program and wage replacement program. Because of their votes the bill died, 33-31, in the House. Cheri

When Rep. Angela Williams announced her candidacy for the state Senate, she did it with high-profile endorsers and history on her side.

“Colorado needs smart and pragmatic leadership in the state Capitol as we work to tackle issues that impact the daily lives of the citizens of our great state,” stated Sen. Lucia Guzman, another Denver Democrat, in Williams’ announcement. “We need more people like Angela, and I could not be more hopeful for our next class of state senators knowing that she is running.”

Williams is running for the District 33 seat held by Mike Johnston, who was barred by term limits from running again. No other candidates have jumped in the race yet, according to the Secretary of State’s Office. Williams will be a formidable candidate for a newcomer to engage in a heavily Democratic district.

If Democrats hoped to easily pass three bills to solve the problems cited by Republicans as a need for the ill-fated construction defects legislation, it was evident Thursday night that it won’t be quick, easy or friendly.

Rep. Max Tyler, D-Lakewood, presented the first and most contentious of the bills: $25 million for affordable housing vouchers and grants to help build lower-cost rentals. Then some of the Republican caucus’ most talented debaters lined up to try to shoot it down. Tyler is one of the legislature’s most calm and collected characters. Over the ensuing 40 minutes, that reputation was tested. He responded to every critic.

House Bill 1384 passed on a close voice vote and will have to survive a roll-call vote by a chamber with a 33-31 partisan split to advance to the Senate. That vote will probably come Friday, since the session adjourns next Wednesday.

Update: Bills to “reform” telecom might be bipartisan in the Colorado House, but Democrats in the Senate don’t think much of Sen. Mark Scheffel’s Senate bill, judging from the caucus’ press release, which takes the issue from sounding pretty good to sounding pretty bad.

Telecoms clearly remain a political flashpoint a year after deregulation. While the Republicans say the two bills take Colorado into the 21st century, Democrats think they’re a “tax giveaway” at the expense of schools.

A Colorado House committee met Thursday to hear lengthy testimony on three police bills that are part of a package of bills being considered by lawmakers in the wake of high-profile police shootings in Ferguson and New York.

These three measures are among the more controversial ones, and unlike a handful of others, do not have a Republican co-sponsor.

State Rep. Angela Williams, a Denver Democrat, and Sen. John Cooke, a Greeley Republican, recently joined The Denver Post TV’s On The Spot political show to discuss the police bills. (See video below.)

As part of a Masters thesis, Ron Tupa, a former member of both the state House and Senate, conducted polling on the subject — 49 percent of respondents voted in favor of the peach, 17 percent voted no and 34 percent said they weren’t sure.

Williams said she was proud of the work the students did in running the bill, adding, “You just don’t always get the results you want.”

Rep. Angela Williams moved five telecommunication bills through House on Wednesday. (The Denver Post)

When members of the House of Representatives arrived at work Wednesday they were greeted by lobbyists from the Colorado chapter of the American Association of Retired Persons (AARP), who were making a final push against a series of bills designed to improve telecommunications in the state.

As was the case on Tuesday when the bill was debated on the House floor, the main argument was that the package, sponsored by Rep. Angela Williams, D-Denver, would deprive citizens of their landline phones.

“Two-thirds of those aged 65 and over rely on their landline phone service,” read an AARP flyer. “Nearly 1.6 million Coloradans of all ages have landlines.”

The only problem with the pitch, Williams said, was that the bills never said that would be the case.

“It’s disappointing that this misinformation is being spread,” Williams said. “All of this could have been prevented with a conversation.”

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.